By Kim Rossi

Please join me in wishing my daughter Miss G a very happy 21st birthday! 7-11 is a lucky number in slot machines, isn't it? Or is that roulette? Or craps?  Ha ha - autism joke - craps!  

G has come so far in her development over the years. She is funny, happy, bright, attentive and yes, still very, very much affected (and hindered) by her autism.  That said, I am proud of her every single day. 

Because she is a July birthday girl, she has one more year in the school district before she "ages out" into adult programming. 

I used to be terrified of birthdays. Every "big one" made me so sad.  Now that I already have a 21 year old (M is 22) and all three girls have crossed sweet 16, I find myself less crushed on their birthdays and able to celebrate in their unique way. This is a survival tactic for me.  I need to live and laugh and enjoy the girls, even as I fight to bring them forward within and maybe in some ways withOUT of their autism.

I accept and adore my girls exactly where they are today. I don't love autism. I never have and I never will. Make no mistake - if I had a magic wand I would consider using a certain unforgivable curse on it! (That's for you Harry Potter fans.)  It will always be important to me to tell the world about the realities of having a child with autism - whether 1, 11 or 21 or 51.

We're having cake and ice cream and maybe a drop of Prosecco Italian sparkling wine.  Let's toast Gianna and all of her peers who are turning 21 this year.

Happy birthday, Miss G.

Love, Mom